Antivirus 2008/2009

zacman13245

I fix computers at a "big box store" and also take lots of phone calls per week. Recently the phone calls have frequently been about a new virus out that is taking hold of millions of computers, but isnt fully in the public's awareness yet. I though I'd share some info about it with you guys, I don't want you falling prey to it.

Antivirus 2008 is one of the latest counterfeit antispyware that devastates the world wide web. Antivirus 2008 usually come up after you installed a video codec that come with Trojan, malware and virus. XP Antivirus 2008 normally generates fake and misleading system popup error messages so end-users will be tricked into purchase Antivirus 2008.

It also goes by names like Antivirus 2009, XP Antivirus 2008, XP Antivirus 2009.. etc.

It goes without saying that under no circumstances should you buy it. The older program, XPAntivirus, does come with a removal option in the computer's Add or Remove Programs list, but when you attempt to uninstall it, all that happens is the entry is removed from the list and program's process is terminated. Next time you reboot, Antivirus 2008 will start up again. The newer versions of the program do not contain an entry in the Add or Remove Programs list at all.

Antivirus 2008 may attempt to change your computer's desktop, hijack your browser, monitor your Internet browsing activities, change system files, and can do this without your knowledge or permission. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to remove all traces of Antivirus 2008 from your computer.

In most cases, a good Antivirus/Antispyware software can take of it (Kaspersky, Norton, Trend-Micro) other times simply deleting the files manually will also fix it. A worst case scenario requires the drive to be reformatted and Windows to be reinstalled.

Use this link to help with removal:
http://www.wiki-security.com/wiki/Parasite/Antivirus2008

Feel free to PM also if you have questions, I have successfully cleaned machines before that have it. Hope this helps someone!

Travelar

Thanks for the PSA. Some variants of this can be particularly nasty....

zacman13245

I feel really bad when people bring their computers in and they've already 'paid' for the program and I have to tell them its a virus/scam.

BinFrog

"Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware" helped me when I had this last month.

zacman13245

BinFrog wrote:

"Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware" helped me when I had this last month.

I had heard that this worked for some people, but didn't have any actual confirmation. Thanks.

PatrickBateman

I have run into that 3 times already with side jobs.

+1 to malwarebytes btw

BinFrog

zacman13245 wrote:

I had heard that this worked for some people, but didn't have any actual confirmation. Thanks.

I've helped many, many people with spyware issues. This one hit me last month and I had a heck of a time killing it. But, I prevailed. The thing that makes this one tough is when it takes over your internet explorer, thus not allowing you to click on links when you search for fixes. I'd click on a link and be brought to a re-directed site to buy the "Anti-Virus" scam product. I had to download Malware Bytes on a co-workers machine and put the file up on the netwok to download. SpyBot did NOT fix the issue for me.

One great program I recommend all people use: Spywareblaster. Download it and run it every time you turn your computer on. It runs in the background and proactively keeps a lot of spyware off your computer.

hth.

Stone Is God

BinFrog wrote:

I've helped many, many people with spyware issues. This one hit me last month and I had a heck of a time killing it. But, I prevailed. The thing that makes this one tough is when it takes over your internet explorer, thus not allowing you to click on links when you search for fixes. I'd click on a link and be brought to a re-directed site to buy the "Anti-Virus" scam product. I had to download Malware Bytes on a co-workers machine and put the file up on the netwok to download. SpyBot did NOT fix the issue for me.

One great program I recommend all people use: Spywareblaster. Download it and run it every time you turn your computer on. It runs in the background and proactively keeps a lot of spyware off your computer.

hth.

I had the same one on one of my networks computers. You saying that every time you click on a link it would redirect you to the AV2008 reminded me of it. You'd end up with a bunch of that particular window open on your desktop.

I took it home and used Super Anti Spyware that I had stashed on my flash drive and it worked perfect.

zacman13245

When it was on my computer, I had to go through and delete all the associated files with the program. ugh, dont want to do that again.

RolandTD20Kdrummer

Seen/cleaned this a bunch of times on clients home computers.

Some variants of it can more or less ruin the O/S

scw156

watch for "Windows Optimizer" and any variation also

zacman13245

scw156 wrote:

watch for "Windows Optimizer" and any variation also

haha yeah, that's a good one too. just deletes the system32 folder and restarts. gotta love it.

vedder_soup

i have come across this one a few times.
it is a pain, and stops some removal programs from running as well!

Malbytes helped me with a variant of this